Cooking with ALDI: Sautéed Pork Chops with Cider Sauce and Apple-Infused Carrots

We love a challenge. So, when the folks from Bon Appétit magazine reached out to us about preparing a quick and tasty meal for a family of four for under $10 using ingredients purchased from ALDI, we jumped at the chance. After reading Chef Mary Nolan’s ALDI-inspired recipe for Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower, we were anxious to get started creating our meal.

I had visited ALDI once, but had not “shopped” the store before. I was glad I remembered a quarter for the shopping cart deposit before I went in ready to do my research. Our local ALDI store is not very large. It has wide aisles with minimal shelving and stock in boxes which I’m sure helps keep overhead and staffing costs down. There was a nice selection of items, all very neatly displayed. I headed first to the meat department, knowing from experience that would be the most expensive part of the meal. I compared the prices of beef, pork, chicken and frozen seafood. Wanting to make a seasonal meal, I decided on a family pack of eight pork chops.

I got a bit distracted in the home goods aisle with all of the bargains on small appliances (a crockpot for $20 – awesome!), storage items and even Halloween costumes. After finding a bottle of Nature’s Nectar 100% apple juice, I chose a recipe of sautéed pork chops with an apple cider sauce for which we would also need some oil for the pan and some seasoning for the pork.

I then headed to the produce section to find fresh vegetables to serve alongside the chops. There were some good-looking acorn and butternut squash, as well as bell peppers and cucumbers. I opted for baby carrots that I could boil in some of the apple juice and found some boxes of Rice Bowl brand rice pilaf that would round out the meal nicely. As any busy home cook knows, having all the elements of a meal done at the same time can be a bit tricky, All of these dishes are easy to prepare the same 30-minute time-window.

I headed to check out with my items where I was greeted by a sweet clerk who kindly reminded me that ALDI only accepts cash, EBT, or debit cards. We chatted as I packed the reusable bags I had brought with me. A quick and painless checkout experience always leaves me with a good impression of any store; my ALDI did not disappoint.

Our meal should take about 30 minutes to prepare. We recommend starting with the rice pilaf as it takes the most time to cook and requires the least amount of effort. Just like preparing plain white rice, boil the prescribed amount of water and follow the package directions. The pilaf will steam while you cook the pork and carrots.

Apple-infused Carrots
2 cups Peter Rabbit Farms baby carrots
¾ cup apple juice
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Bring apple juice and salt to a boil and add carrots, simmer carrots until crisp-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off excess liquid and add the oil to the carrots. Toss to coat and leave them covered in the pan until ready to serve.

Sautéed Pork Chop with Cider Sauce 
4 pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick
¼ teaspoon Stonemill Steak seasoning (or other seasoned salt)
1 tablespoon Carlini pure vegetable oil
1 cup apple cider or juice

Sprinkle one side of the pork chops with seasoned salt. If you are using the ALDI brand “Stonemill Steak Seasoning“ be aware that it is a bit spicy, but it lends a very nice kick to the cider sauce. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to the pan and cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops. When the chops are opaque and browned on one side, flip to the other side and brown. The chops are done when the flesh is opaque and the juices are clear. At this point, remove the chops to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add cider to the skillet and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until the liquid is reduced by more than half and is thickened. Add the chops back to the pan and thoroughly coat with the cider sauce. Serve the chops with pilaf and apple-soaked carrots.

This delicious home-cooked meal for four under $10 will definitely help to keep your budget on track. We hope this menu will inspire you to head to your nearest ALDI to find everyday essentials that won’t break the bank.

Disclosure: We received ALDI gift certificates in exchange for writing this blog post. While this post is sponsored, the opinions included herein are honest and unsolicited.  

Leftover Hack: Stuffed Peppers

According to United Nations Environment Programme, 30-40% of the U.S. food supply is wasted, equaling more than 20 pounds of food per person per month. So in celebration of World Food Day (held annually on October 16th), we are sharing one of our favorite ways to turn leftovers into a delicious second meal.

Peppers are an inexpensive and plentiful vegetable option and make a wonderful vessel for stuffing. In addition, peppers are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, which help prevent cell damage, cancer, and diseases related to aging, support immune function, and inflammation caused by arthritis and asthma. Vitamin K promotes proper blood clotting, strengthens bones, and helps prevent cell damage.

5-6 large peppers (bell, poblano, Anaheim)
4 cups leftover cooked grains and/or vegetables
1-2 cups sauce (optional)
1 cup grated cheese (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Prepare the peppers by cutting the stem out creating a bowl shape. Remove all seeds and membranes from the peppers. You can reserve the tops for decoration if you choose.

Prepare your filling. The best fillings are leftover rice dishes like jambalaya, paella, quinoa, couscous, or farro which can be stretched with leftover vegetables like potatoes, squash, corn, beans, etc.

Fill the peppers with your leftovers being careful not to overstuff them. Place the stuffed peppers in a greased baking dish. If you have leftover tomato sauce, gravy or even soup, you can ladle ¼ cup over each pepper and sprinkle the top with some grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey jack, feta, goat cheese or Parmesan) if you so choose. The sauce and cheese are not necessary, but  are another way to punch up your dish.

Bake the peppers on the middle rack of your oven until the peppers are tender and browning and the filling is heated completely through, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow peppers to cool before serving with a simple fresh salad.

Celebrate World Food Day by toasting to the farmers that work hard every day to ensure that our food is grown with care and is healthy for us to eat and post a picture of yourself with your glass raised and include a personalized toast as your status or tweet on Facebook or Twitter with #ToastAFarmer and #WFD2015. And, continue to look for more easy and fun tips to prevent food waste at home.

Party At Ponce Returns

What was once an amusement park called “the Coney Island of Atlanta,” and the original home to the “Atlanta Crackers” baseball team, has been transformed into the mixed-use, urban “destination” known as Ponce City Market. Jamestown Properties has made unprecedented progress in the historic rehabilitation of the 2.1 million square-foot property that was Atlanta’s first Sears retail store (which later became Atlanta City Hall East in 1991.)

Returning after four years, Party At Ponce was held on Saturday to celebrate the opening of the first venues in the hip intown market. Guests enjoyed private access to the property’s curated retail selection, which includes Anthropologie, Williams-Sonoma and West Elm. In addition, James Beard Award winning and nominated chefs Anne Quatrano, Linton Hopkins, Sean Brock, and Hector Santiago were on hand to share tastings from their new restaurants located in the market. Restaurant bites featured at the party were:

• Dubs Fish Camp – Roasted Oysters with Brown Butter and Corn Fritters
• Minero – Charcoal Grilled Chicken Wings doused with Valentina Sauce
• Hop's Chicken – Fried Chicken Wings with Frim Fram Sauce
• Biltong Bar – Naturally-cured, Air-dried Biltong (Beef Jerky) with South African Spices
• Jia Sichuan – Spicy Noodles with Chopped Scallions and Roasted Peanuts
• El Super Pan -  Serrano Ham, Manchego, Almond-Date Spread, Arugula, And Piquillo Pepper Agridulce On Spanish Foccacia
• Simply Seoul Kitchen – Spicy Korean Pork Bulgogi Rice, Shishito leaf and White Radish Kimchi
• Honeysuckle Gelato - Maple Gelato with Blueberry Syrup and Graham Cracker Crust Wedge
• Brezza Cucina – Kale Salad with Anchovy Dressing and Mollica
• Boti Indian Street Grill – Lamb Kofta, Chaat Slaw, Caramelized Dates and Mint Chutney
• Farm to Ladle – Tomato Basil Chocolate Chip Cookie Bisque

And to cap off the evening, Atlanta’s most popular folk rock duo, the Indigo Girls, and singer-songwriter Shawn Mullins once again took the stage eclipsing their previous performances along with singer-songwriter David Ryan Harris for a series of rockin’ performances under the glow of the big neon sign.

Advice for Judging a Chili Cook-off

I had the honor of serving as a judge for the 4th Annual Brookhaven Chili Cookoff yesterday. I arrived early to the sight of a tent village with chili-scented steam billowing overhead. With no further ado, I was shown to a table and asked to rate the chili (and Brunswick stew) samples of 18 of Atlanta’s top restaurants including There Brookhaven, Smokebelly BBQ, Seven Lamps, and Farm Burger from 1 to 10 with ten being the best. I was quite happy that I had done some homework before my stint. According to the experts, chili should be judged on the following criteria:

• Color – The chili should look appetizing. 
• Aroma – The chili should smell good. The aroma is usually a good indicator of the taste.
• Consistency - Chili should have a good meat to sauce ratio.  It should not be too thick, watery, grainy, lumpy, or greasy.  
• Taste – The chili should taste, well, like chili. And, it should taste good. This is THE most important factor. The taste should consist of the combination of the meat, spices, etc. with no particular ingredient being dominate. And, contrary to what most Texans believe, it should not be so hot that you cannot taste the other flavors.
• Aftertaste - The aftertaste or bite is the heat created by the various types of spices and or peppers.

While judging by taste is always going to be subjective, the goal of any judging process is to limit that subjectivity as much as possible. The Brookhaven Chili Cookoff also gives a “People’s Choice” award for the crowd-selected favorite. Each attendee is given a token to vote for their chosen chili.

The following insights might be helpful in selecting your favorite chili or on the off chance you are ever asked to judge an informal cookie bake-off in your friend’s kitchen or ribs at your neighborhood cookout.

1. Consider taking a Gastric Acid Secretion Inhibitor. Many OTC antiflatulents (e.g., Beano, Gas-X, Zantac) need to be taken in advance of eating so be sure to read the label carefully.
2. Eat Before You Judge. This sounds counterintuitive, but it is easy to confuse being famished with genuinely liking something. Have a light breakfast or lunch before the judging begins.
3. Pace Yourself. This is easier said than done. Take a small bite of each entry. If it is forgettable with no chance of making it to the winner’s circle, abandon ship and move on to the next. Judge each chili on its own merit.
4. Cleanse your palate. After each tasting take a sip of water, beer, or milk (best for neutralizing the effects of capsicum in chilies). Plain saltine crackers are good cleansers as well. 
5. Be candid, be consistent, and be decisive. Don’t be ashamed to be honest. You were selected to be a judge, so your opinion counts. Make notes in the margin to help you remember if needed. No one else is going to see them accept the guy tallying the scores. 

And mark your calendars now for Saturday, October 8, 2016 for the 5th Annual Brookhaven Chili Cook-Off!

Easy Peasy Lemon Posset

I admit it. I have a sweet tooth; an insatiable one actually. Since we are trying to watch our weight, I avoid keeping treats in the house to escape temptation. Tonight the cravings were so bad, I went rummaging through the pantry (dried beans, sugar), the freezer (peas, pizza pockets), and the fridge (kale, radishes, lemons, a little leftover cream and parmesan). I was desperate, so I took to the internet. This is the part where I say, “I love Google!” I entered sugar, cream and lemon in the search bar and found posset. Of course, I had forgotten about this old-school gem!

In Merry Olde English days of yore, a posset was a drink made from hot milk laced with ale or wine and spiced. It was popular in the Middle Ages as a remedy for colds and minor ailments and a sleep-aid. In the early 17th century, a drug-laced posset was employed in Shakespeare's Macbeth to knock out the guards outside Duncan's quarters.

Using just three ingredients, it seems almost magical, and sets up almost immediately. The wonder of food science in front of your very eyes makes this a quickest, easiest dessert, like ever. Curdled cream becomes a thickened, creamy dessert; similar to lemon curd or key lime pie.

1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream will work too)
1/3 cup sugar
Juice and zest of one medium lemon
Nutmeg (optional)

In a small saucepan, heat the cream and add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Bring the cream to a low boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes (give or take). Watch the heat very carefully and don’t let the cream boil over.

Remove the cream mixture from the heat and stir in lemon juice and zest. Let the posset cool for about 10 minutes before pouring into ramekins. This custard is very rich, so I recommend using smaller dishes. I used these proportions (which makes two nice servings) because I only had 1 cup of cream leftover from another recipe, but this formula can be very easily doubled, tripled, etc.

Refrigerate until set. Depending on how thick you want the pudding, it may take up to 2 hours. Top with a sparse grating of nutmeg (sounds a bit odd, but it’s quite a good match). It is traditional to serve with shortbread cookies, but sadly there were none in the pantry.